


Aetheryte of Ice

by AmadeusMachina



Series: Adventures of Amadeus Mac'hina [2]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward, Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward Spoilers, Named Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Nonbinary Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-27
Updated: 2021-02-27
Packaged: 2021-03-19 03:53:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29744574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmadeusMachina/pseuds/AmadeusMachina
Summary: For #Febhyurary Day 27: Aetheryte, this is a piece set sometime after "Divine Intervention", in which Amadeus makes camp in a rather unwelcoming locale.
Series: Adventures of Amadeus Mac'hina [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2165676





	Aetheryte of Ice

It was inadvisable to try and camp anywhere within the highlands of Coerthas, even when the weather wasn’t inclement. Given their experiences thus far, Amadeus had little inclination to believe that Coerthan weather was gentle more than once every Heavensturn or so.

However, when presented with the options of trudging through the snows for several more bells and being stranded somewhere where there were at least a few amenities for basic survival, the choice didn’t seem difficult.

So it was that Amadeus claimed an empty tent at Camp Riversmeet, the long-abandoned outpost shadowed by one of the less intimidating precipices of the Western Highlands, which was to say that one might feasibly survive jumping off it. They knew that much from experience, they thought, their cheeks flaring up in embarrassment at the recollection. 

Amadeus inspected the few bags they had brought into the surprisingly sturdy tent with them, rummaging through one until they found a lamp and the requisite supplies for lighting it. They set to work, the lamp lighting the space with a dim yet warm glow, as they laid down a few blankets and their traveling cloak.

For anyone else, staying in the camp would be suicide. But the local fauna knew better than to harass them, and there wasn’t likely to be anyone else nearby. In any case, it was unlikely anyone would think to check the camp for inhabitants.

Anyways, they hadn’t been sleeping well of late, so they’d be awake most of the night, and thus more than capable of defending themselves should anything go awry. 

That was also without accounting for the presence of Freedom, the black chocobo mount generously given to them by Haurchefant. While Amadeus’ theory remained untested, the number of squats the stout bird performed daily suggested she had a nasty kick, probably matched only by Justice, Amadeus’ battle-hardened Grand Company chocobo. The Lord of Camp Dragonhead must have noticed how forlorn Amadeus was without their feathered companion, as they had no choice but to leave poor Justice behind when they fled Ul’dah. They were relieved to have heard since that he was being safely guarded by the Immortal Flames, but this did nothing to reunite the two. How sweet of him to be so thoughtful...

Actually, that reminded them.

Amadeus braced themselves and stepped out of the tent’s confines into the biting cold winds and thick snows outside. Glancing around, they saw Freedom huddled against one side of the tent. Amadeus gave a quick whistle, and the chocobo was instantly on her feet, trotting to the hero’s side with an inquisitive look in her eyes.

Lifting the panel of the tent high, they motioned the bird inside. For her part, the bird did not seem to think twice, rushing in with what sounded like a grateful “kweh”.

But the Warrior of Light hesitated to re-enter themselves, their gaze lingering on the icy crystals of the broken aetheryte before them. 

Giving the chocobo a quick nod, Amadeus let the flap fall as they trudged through the snow onto a frozen pool of water to gaze more closely at the structure. It was beautiful, in a hauntingly melancholy sort of way. The aether still thrummed oddly around it. They could sense it as they reached out towards it. However, they did not touch its surface, knowing how quickly the additional kiss of cold could pierce the fabric of their garments.

It almost seemed to glow. Calling, calling… but an aetheryte shouldn’t call.

Have I been here before?

The cold must be getting to them now, they thought nervously, shaking their head to clear their thoughts. They headed back into the tent to settle against Freedom’s side, idly reaching for a stale muffin as they tried to ignore the creeping sensation along their skin.


End file.
